South Korea - The Korea Times

New Seoul mayor raises voice against Moon's policies

President Moon Jae-in attends a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. On screen is Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon from the main opposition People Power Party, who attends the meeting remotely from the Central Government Complex Seoul. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooNew Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon raised his voice against President Moon Jae-in's policies, Tuesday, during his first attendance at a Cabinet meeting, after being elected in the mayoral by-election last week.Such a clash was widely anticipated as Oh, who belongs to the main conservative opposition People Power Party (PPP), announced his own policies on Monday to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, which deviate from the central government's social distancing schemes, despite concerns voiced by the health ministry and disease control authorities.The Seoul mayor does not have voting rights in Cabinet meetings, but is allowed to speak. Moon presided over the Cabinet meeting and discussed measures to contain the economic fallout of the pandemic, with some aides and ministers attending the meeting virtually, including Oh.According to Cheong Wa Dae and

Apr 13, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo

New Seoul mayor raises voice against Moon's policies

Hospital supplies and medicine for Laos

Figure 1 Korea Love Sharing Community Chairman Lee Eun-deok, left in front row, poses with Second Secretary Kham Ai Phoutthachit of the Laos Embassy in Seoul and others including corporate sponsors Choi Seong-ho of Kyungwoo System before sending $850,000 worth of medicine, and hospital beds to Laos, April 7. / Courtesy of Korea Love Sharing CommunityKorea Love Sharing Community Chairman Lee Eun-deok, left in front row, poses with Second Secretary Kham Ai Phoutthachit of the Laos Embassy in Seoul and others including corporate sponsors Choi Seong-ho of Kyungwoo System before sending $850,000 worth of medicine, and hospital beds to Laos, April 7. / Courtesy of Korea Love Sharing Community

Apr 13, 2021By Kim Ji-soo

Ruling party faces internal dispute over election defeat

Rep. Do Jong-hwan, center, chief of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's emergency committee, which was formed after its crushing defeat by the rival main opposition People Power Party in last week's by-elections, speaks during a committee meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. YonhapBy Jung Da-min The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is embroiled in internal disputes over the cause of its crushing defeat by the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) in the April 7 by-elections, as well as over how to establish new policy strategies. A number of members of the DPK stepped down last Thursday to take responsibility for the party's defeat in the mayoral by-elections of the nation's two largest cities, Seoul and Busan. Although the DPK is gearing up for its new start by selecting a new party floor leader on April 16 and then a new party chief on May 2, party members are divided over how to push ahead with reforms, as they differ in analyzing the cause of the defeat in the by-elections. The ruling party's first-term lawmakers said the party, in the first place, had m

Apr 12, 2021

Ruling party faces internal dispute over election defeat

President hails LG-SK battery dispute settlement

This photo, captured from the Facebook account of President Moon Jae-in on April 12, shows his comments on the settlement of a two-year-long electric vehicle battery dispute between LGES and SKI. YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chul, Nam Hyun-woo A day after U.S. President Joe Biden declared the last-minute settlement between LG Energy Solution (LGES) and SK Innovation (SKI) a victory for Washington's efforts to construct a solid supply chain for electric vehicles (EVs), President Moon Jae-in also hailed the closure.“It's fortunate that LGES and SKI settled all legal disputes. When it comes to the core meaning, the settlement has its importance in terms of pursuing collaboration between constituents in the local ecosystem based on mutual trust, while competing with each other,” Moon wrote on social media Monday.“From the standpoint of the national interest and long-term profits for individual companies, the settlement between the two companies is of significant importance,” the President added. “I hope Korea's secondary battery industry including LGES and SKI will deve

Apr 12, 2021By Kim Yoo-chul

President hails LG-SK battery dispute settlement

Moon to reshuffle Cabinet as early as this week

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting with his key aides at Cheong Wa Dae, last Monday. YonhapBy Jung Da-minPresident Moon Jae-in is expected to reshuffle his Cabinet as early as this week as part of his efforts to refresh his administration following the ruling party's crushing defeat in the April 7 by-elections. The reshuffle, which could be the last one before his term ends in May 2022, is likely to feature high-profile Cabinet members, including Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki, as the President said he would be committed to overcoming economic difficulties and stabilizing the livelihood of the people amid the COVID-19 pandemic as well as addressing the land speculation scandal involving employees of state-run Korea Land and Housing Corporation.The reshuffle is expected to come after the prime minister returns from Iran, Tuesday. Chung had earlier expressed his intention to join the next presidential election, slated for March 2022, and is expected to resign from his position soon to focus on his presidential bid. Chung flew to Tehran, Sunday

Apr 11, 2021

Moon to reshuffle Cabinet as early as this week

Presidential official charged as prosecution wraps up election meddling probe

Lee Jin-seok, presidential secretary for state affairs monitoring / Cheong Wa Dae press corpsProsecutors on Friday indicted a presidential official in a high-profile political scandal surrounding a 2018 mayoral election.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office charged Lee Jin-seok, presidential secretary for state affairs monitoring, with violating election laws, wrapping up more than a year of investigation into the case in which presidential officials and a ruling party candidate's campaign allegedly colluded to win the mayoral election in the southeastern city of Ulsan.Cheong Wa Dae expressed regret over the prosecution service's move."It is inappropriate to speak about the prosecution's indictment. But it's regrettable that it has indicted (Lee) at a time when he is playing an important role in (the government's) response to the coronavirus," a Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters.Cheong Wa Dae will make a prudent decision on whether to keep Lee in his post as the COVID-19 situation is grave, he added, requesting anonymity.In January 2020, a total of 13 officials including

Apr 9, 2021

Presidential official charged as prosecution wraps up election meddling probe

Will 'joint operation' of Seoul between Oh, Ahn be possible?

Oh Se-hoon, left, of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), shakes hands with Ahn Cheol-soo, the head of the minor opposition People's Party, at the PPP's headquarters on Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday, after Oh's election as the new Seoul mayor in Wednesday's by-election was confirmed. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geunBy Jun Ji-hyeWith Oh Se-hoon of the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP) returning to the Seoul mayoral post after winning the April 7 by-election, eyes are now on whether his pledge to “jointly operate the country's capital” with Ahn Cheol-soo, the head of the minor opposition People's Party, will actually be realized. On March 23, Oh beat Ahn in a bipartisan primary to become the single unified candidate representing the opposition in the Seoul mayoral by-election against Park Young-sun, the candidate from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), as the two opposition parties sought to merge their campaigns in a bid to increase their chances of winning the election.Since his victory against Ahn, Oh has kept stressing his intention to j

Apr 9, 2021By Jun Ji-hye

Will 'joint operation' of Seoul between Oh, Ahn be possible?

Huh leads minor candidates; gender issues gain attention from Seoul's young voters

Ten minor candidates in the Seoul mayoral by-election gained a combined 3.28 percent of votes. From left are Shin Ji-hye from the Basic Independent Party, Huh Kyung-young from the National Revolutionary Party, Lee Soo-bong from the Minsaeng Party, and Song Myeong-suk from the Progressive Party. YonhapBy Kim RahnThe 10 minor candidates in Wednesday's Seoul mayoral by-election gained a combined 3.28 percent of the vote. This percentage may seem small compared to the candidates from the two major parties, Oh Se-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party, who was elected with 57.5 percent, and Park Young-sun of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, who obtained 39.18 percent. However, 15.1 percent of female voters in their 20s said they picked one of the minor candidates, showing that there is a demand for “third-way politics” that deals with more diverse social issues than just a few big concerns, such as real estate.Among the 10, Huh Kyung-young, head of the National Revolutionary Party, gained 1.07 percent of the votes and came in third, becoming the only person among

Apr 9, 2021By Kim Rahn

Huh leads minor candidates; gender issues gain attention from Seoul's young voters

Crushing by-election defeat stymies Moon's reform, peace initiatives

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting with his aides and secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooWith Wednesday's by-elections to pick new mayors for Seoul and Busan ending in a crushing defeat for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), observers say President Moon Jae-in is now likely to rapidly lose his grip on state affairs. They said the elections will also affect Moon's peace initiative for the Korean Peninsula, as Pyongyang is anticipated to strengthen its perception of inter-Korean relations as subordinate to those it has with the U.S., especially as the South Korean leader increasingly becomes a lame duck president.During a press briefing, Thursday, presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok said Moon was taking the by-election results as “a stern reprimand” from the people and will “address state affairs modestly with a heavy responsibility.” “The President pledged to spare no efforts to realize the people's desperate demands for overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, resuscitating the economy and eradicating real estate-rel

Apr 8, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo

Crushing by-election defeat stymies Moon's reform, peace initiatives

Ruling party to undergo major reforms after by-election loss

Supreme Council members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea bow to apologize for the party's crushing defeat in Wednesday's Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections, at the National Assembly, Seoul, Thursday. All eight members resigned to take responsibility for the election result. YonhapBy Kim RahnThe leadership of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) stepped down Thursday to take responsibility for the party's crushing defeat by the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) in Wednesday's Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections. The election loss virtually meant the downfall of the supermajority ruling party which controls 174 seats in the 300-strong National Assembly. The election results also showed how the public had grown weary of the ruling bloc's policies, making it impossible to railroad controversial bills as it had previously done until now.The by-elections were largely regarded as an indicator for the next presidential election slated for March 2022 and it will be inevitable for the ruling party to undertake major reforms to regain its appeal to the public before the p

Apr 8, 2021By Kim Rahn

Ruling party to undergo major reforms after by-election loss

Oh vows to bring policy, organizational changes to Seoul City

Politics